Viola Concludes 1-m Diving at FINA World Championships
July 19, 2009
Complete Results in PDF Format 
Rome, Italy – Brittany Viola, a three-time All-American diver for the University of Miami, finished Sunday’s 1-meter springboard semifinals with a 14th place showing at the 2009 FINA World Championships as she competed for the United States at the Stadio del Nuoto in Rome. For Viola, she concluded her diving in her first-ever World Championships.
Viola (Orlando, Fla.) finished the day with a 14th place showing on the 1-meter springboard, scoring 244.80 points on five dives. U.S. teammate Christina Loukas (Riverwoods, Ill.) led the U.S. in eighth place with a finals appearance, scoring 266.35.
Russia’s Julia Pakhalina took gold with 325.05 as her total score.
The Hurricanes junior, serving as team captain for the U.S. women’s team, began her five dives with a Forward 2 ½ Somersault Pike that scored her 46.80–trailing the leader (Pakhalina) by just 14 points at that time. Her third dive earned her second-highest score of the day as she nailed a 58.50, claiming two (2) 8.0 judgments on a Reverse 1 ½ Somersault 1 ½ Twist Free.
Viola, the 2008 NCAA Champion on the 10-meter platform, claimed her highest score of the afternoon on her last dive, an Inward 1 ½ Somersault Pike, scoring her a 58.80.
Fellow UM diving teammate on the men’s side, Reuben Ross, steps back in action Wednesday, July 22 when he ventures onto the men’s 3-meter springboard. Ross is diving for Canada, while synchro partner Alexandre Despatie will also take to the 1-meter competition. The two finished third in the men’s 3-meter synchronized springboard on Saturday.
Ross, the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Men’s Diver of the Year, will also compete in the men’s 10-meter synchronized platform on Friday, July 24 along with Riley McCormick. McCormick, a 17-year old native of Victoria, British Columbia, partnered last with Ross in 2008. The two combined for gold at the Winter Senior National Championships in the 10-meter synchro.
Ross is no stranger to the 10-m platform himself, finishing as an All-American in 2008 and ’09. Ross ended the 2008-09 campaign for UM with a sweep of three consecutive All-America honors at the NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas–taking home All-America awards in the 1-m, 3-m and platform event.
The diving events at the World Championships continue through July 25. Monday’s competition features women’s 3-meter and men’s 10-meter.
Featuring America’s best divers, USA Diving is the national governing body for the sport of diving. Headquartered in Indianapolis, USA Diving offers diversified programs geared toward the broadest number of diving enthusiasts, from the novice to the world champion. USA Diving conducts approximately 40 regional and national events annually and is responsible for training and selecting teams that represent the United States at international events such as the Olympic Games, World Championships and World Cup. For more information, visit www.usadiving.org.
